Railroad-crossing signal



Dec. 16, 1924. 1,519,872

O. MOLSKNESS RAILROAD CROSS ING S IGNAL Filed Aug 18 ,1.92.2 3 Sheets-Sheet l -T mmf@ Dec. 16, 1924. 1,519,872

' O. MQLSKN ESS RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Aug. 18, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ded. 16, 1924. 1,519,872 o. MoLsKNEss RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Aug. 18, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet FS RAILROAD CROSSING @com Patented Dec.. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES OLE MOLSKNESS, OF COLMAN, SOUTH DAKOTA.

RAILROAD-CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application filed. August 18, 1922. Serial No. 582,757.

To all iii/tom t may concern.'

Be it known that OLE 'MoLsnNnsa a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Colman, in the county of Moody and State of South Dakota, has invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Crossing Signals, of which the following` is a specification.

The obj ect of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient danger signal for use at. grade crossings as a protection to pedestrians and drivers on roads intersecting the railway affording a permanent means of indicating the existence of the crossing and a special means of indicating the approach of a train, and more particularly to provide an apparatus of this type which is entirely mechanical in its construction and does not rely upon electrical, pneumatic or other energy and which by reason of its simplicity is not subject to disarrangement and therefore failure to operate when required; and with these objects in view the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view, and

Figure 2 is a side view of an apparatus embodying the invention applied in the operative position to a railway crossing or intersection, the train signal in Figure 2 being in the normal or housed position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the train signal in its exposed or warning position,

Figure 4 is a transverse section to disclose more clearly the construction of the wheel actuated trip for operating1 the plunger 36.

Figure 5 is a view of the releasing trip.

Figure 6 is a view of the crossing signal, showing the plunger 36 and illustrating a modified embodiment of the signal wherein the wire or cable 38 is employed as connected direct with the latch 37.

Figure 7 is a view of a modified form of rocker 41 which performs the same function as the trip 26a.

Figure 8 is a view in elevation of the device shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a view of a portion of the track, showing the lever 34 in section and the wheel engaging arcuate tread 35.

Figure 10- is a view of the rocker 27, showing its weighted end and its connection with the plunger 19.

Figure 11 is a view also showing the rocker 27 and the trip 2S.

Figure 12 is a plan view of the signal housing and the danger signal 14.

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view on line 13-13 of Figure 12.

The apparatus embodies a permanent crossing signal unit 10 consisting of spaced plates supported by a suitable arm 11 from a post or standard 12 erected at one side of the line of the track rails 13 provided on their remote or outwardly facing surfaces with warning symbols such as the words Railroad crossing or the equivalent thereof7 and movably mounted between said plates or elements of the permanent signal is a train signal plate 14 carried for example by an arm 15 pivotally mounted in the construction illustrated at 16 upon an extension of the arm 11 which may be suitably braced as indicated at 17.

Connected by means of a link 18 with the arm 15 which supports the train signals (provided with any suitable warning signal such as the word Danger) is a plunger rod or bar 36 having a catch member 20 for engagement with a latch 21 yieldingly held in the path of movement of the catch and having a beveled under surface as indicated so that an upward movement of the catch will result in the repression of the latch and an engagement therewith to maintain the train signal in an elevated position where it is housed between and concealed by the elements of the stationary signal 10. The latch 21 is spring actuated and may as illustrated have a resilient arm 22 attached to the post or standard or may be otherwise mounted to yieldingly maintain the engaging element thereof in the path of movement of the catch which to facilitate engagement may move a bearing roll 23.

In the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive the means for operating the latch to release and permit the exposure of the train signal upon the approach, in either direction, of a t-rain on the track, includes a lever 24 pivoted at 25 and having attached to its extremities the flexible connections 26 consisting for eX- ample of wires or cables which extend to wheel actuated trips 26a located on the track at suitable distances on each side of the crossing. For releasing the train signal there is employed a train actuated trip located remote from the crossing consisting liu of a rocker shaft 27 having a trip linger 2S located sutliciently close to a t ack rail to be engaged by the wheel of a car traversingthe latter and yieldingly held in position by a weighted arin 29, said rocker having a. crank arm 30 connected with t-he lower end of av plunger rod or bar 19 which is held to 'move in a xed path by means of a suitable guide 31. The lower end of the plunger rod preferably carries a cushioning spring 32 for engagement by the4` crank arm and t-he plunger rod is preferably provided with a stop 33 for engagement with the guide 31 to limit the downward movement of the plunger so that when the trip ringer is swung in one direction by the movement of a car and when swung in the opposite direction will move idly and will return to its normal position with the trip linger in lits vertical position by the action of the counterweight 29.

There are preferably two releasing trips disposed on opposite sides oit the crossing, as shown, each having an independent flexible connecting member 26.

The signal resetting trip as illustrated consists of a lever 3-/l having an arcuate tread 35 arranged in the path of wheels traversing the track rail and is connected to the rody 36 which carries the catch member 2()l which, in turn, cooperates with the latch. 21' to which the flexible connection 26 is attached.

Inthe modilied construction illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 the construction, mounting and control of the signal elements correspond substantially with those herein-above described but the connection between the latch 3T and' the wheel actuated releasing trip at opposite sides ot the crossing consists of a flexible connection such as wire or cable 38 extended from the latch around a direction pulley 39 on the standard or *.post and a second direction. pulley l0 near the base of the post or standard 'from which` it may run under-ground or close to the track rails to the trip, iniderconditions rendering an overhead connection. objectionable.V In this constructionthe tripconsists of arocker shalt ll having a trip linger 42 normally and yieldingly held in an upright position and therefore in the path of wheels traversing the track by means of a depending weighted arm 43 to which the flexible connections are attached so that when the trip linger is swung toward the crossing by an approaching train the signal is released whereas a swinging movement of the trip linger in the opposite direction or away from the crossing as by the wheels of the train altery leaving the crossing, the rocking movement does not effect the trip mechanism..

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful is:-

l. A railway crossing signal apparatus having ,a normally housed movable train signal element, a catch having-connection with said signal element, a'yielding latch for engagement by the catch to hold the said signal element in its. honscdposition, wheel actuated trips arranged on the lineor track and operatively connected-with the latch for releasing the signal element, and aresetting mechanism having. a wheel actuated element 'for returning the signal element tok its housedv positions, the resetting mechanism having a plunger bar carrying said catch andl operatively connected with the danger signal element andy also including a rocker having a trip tinger'in the path of wheels traversing a track rail, said rocker being counterweighted and having an operative connection with the plunger bar.

2. A railwaycrossing signal apparatus including a housing with crossing notices on opposite sides, a train signalelement movable into and romrthe housing, a springlea'f latch with a shoulder, a catch member operatively connected to the train signal element and adapted to engage with said shoulder to retain the signal element in itshonsed position, a wheel actuated tripl disposed adjacent the track rail and operatively connecting with the latch to actuat-e the same and release the/catch member to permit the train signal to assume exposed or danger positions. and a rocker with'a wheel actuated means on one end andincludi-ng la plunger'bar-at the other end and carrying the catch member for restoring; the catclr member in engagement with theshoulder ot the-latch, thereby actingY tey retain the danger .signal in its honsing.

In testimony whereothe aflixes his signature.

OLE lWOLSKN-E-SS. Y

lUl) 

